The invention relates to a method and apparatus for bladder irrigation. At the present time there exist no commercially acceptable methods and apparatus for aseptically washing the bladder of an individual with an indwelling catheter. The typical prior art procedure for bladder irrigation -- and example of which is set forth in pages D-1 to D-3 of Publication No. PKST 1035 of Pharmaseal Laboratories of Glendale California -- has been to remove the drainage tube from an indwelling catheter, fill, a disposable bulb-type or disposable piston syringe with a medication prescribed by a doctor [usually Neosporine], insert the syringe into the catheter and slowly inject it, clamp off the catheter, fill the syringe with irrigation fluid, insert the tip of the syringe into the catheter, remove the catheter clamp, inject the fluid, clamp off the catheter, refill the syringe again and repeat the procedure as many times as is necessary to substantially fill the bladder with irrigation liquid [usually about 150-200 cc; the syringes used are most often 50cc], after the final fill clamp off the catheter and allow the irrigation liquid to remain in the bladder the prescribed length of time and then remove the clamp and allow the fluid to drain into a disposable collecting basin, and reattach the drainage tube. To insure asepsis, if the syringe is ever laid down during the filling operations, it must be placed on a sterile surface. No matter what precautions are taken however, it is virtually impossible to prevent at least some air from being admitted to the bladder during the repeated refilling operations.
According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, a bladder may be washed completely aseptically. According to the method of the present invention, a prescribed medication may be introduced through the tip of a prefilled bladder washing device, mixing taking place in the washing device. The tip cover covering the tip of the bladder washing device is then removed and the tip of the device inserted into the catheter. The device has been prefilled to contain the amount of solution necessary to wash the bladder completely, The device is then compressed, introducing the liquid into the bladder. When the device has been substantially completely compressed, the device is locked in that position. After the passage of the prescribed length of time, the device is unlocked and expanded, whereby the fluid contained within the bladder is withdrawn into the body of the device. When withdrawal is complete, the device is removed from the catheter, capped again with its original cover, and disposed of.
As is readily apparent, the method and apparatus of the present invention have many advantages over the prior art method and apparatus. The main advantage of the method of the present invention is of course that there is virtually no chance of air or any contaminants being introduced into the bladder as a result of the bladder irrigating process. The method of the present invention is truly aseptic. Also, the time for performing bladder washing is reduced by the method of the present invention; there are no time-consuming syring filling and catheter clamping procedures. Fewer items need to be handled, thus resulting in a more simplified handling procedure. Since substantially the same amount of liquid will of necessity be withdrawn from the bladder as was introduced therein by the washing procedure, there is no chance of bladder collapse due to the withdrawal of too much liquid. Also, the medication can be introduced with the irrigating solution, thus they will be properly mixed before reaching the bladder and will have their maximum effectiveness. [there will be no concentrated medication introduced which might not have the desired effects or reach all the areas required]. Also with this method a mechanical bladder washing can be utilized in addition to the washing that results just from the presence of the solution by introducing and withdrawing the liquid alternately. Also, because the method is so aseptic, the need for an antibiotic medication to reduce the chances of infection might be obviated.
The apparatus of the present invention also has numerous advantages over prior art devices. Since only one element is needed, obviously space will be saved for storage purposes. The device is less expensive to manufacture than the composite equipment that it replaces [usually a disposable syringe, disposable collecting tray, disposable graduate with cover, and sterile field are necessary for prior art methods]. Also the device preferably has means thereon for guiding the tip portion of the device into the catheter and holding it steady while the fluid is being expelled therefrom, and means for facilitating expansion of the device to draw the liquid into it. The device is prefilled so that the chances of a mistake being made in the introduction of a particular volume of liquid will be reduced, and a syringe filling operation will not be necessary.
In the preferred embodiment of the bladder washing device according to the teachings of the present invention, the device is bellows-like for easy and effective expansion and compression, and the lock for locking the device in a compressed position is designed to securely hold the device in place while not interfering at all with the operation thereof. Prior art devices generally concerned with the introduction and drawing of liquids have not had the positive desirable features of the present invention which result in its suitability for a bladder washing operation [see U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,610, 2,428,577, 3,557,788 and 3,747,812 for example].
It is the principle object of this invention to provide a bladder irrigation method and apparatus that assures asepsis and does not have any of the other drawbacks of prior art devices. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.